Jay Janicki
I believe therapy is a space to rediscover your strength — not to become someone new, but to reconnect with who you’ve always been or were meant to be.
In sessions, I show up as my true, authentic self, meeting clients where they are with compassion and honesty.
I help clients work through narcissistic abuse, chronic pain/chronic illness, neurodivergence, and LGBTQIA+ related issues. I utilize tools such as IFS, relational therapy, and lived experience in order to tailor treatment to the needs of each client.
I became a therapist because I’ve been you - the client searching for a therapist that “got” them, was honest and authentic, while holding me accountable. I’ve seen how small moments of insight can spark lasting change, not just in my own life, but in the lives of my clients.
My background includes in-depth training of narcissistic abuse and ADHD/neurodiversity, LGBTQIA+ trauma-informed therapy. Some of my proudest achievements include getting licensed in multiple states, becoming a certified narcissistic abuse treatment clinician, and being featured in Canvas Rebel and Bold Journey (available below). I would say another major accomplishment that I feel proud of is being a co-founder and executive director of a nonprofit called True Colors Collective.
Clients describe me as authentic, compassionate, funny, and validating. I strive to make therapy feel collaborative, human, relational, and comforting - as I know starting therapy or transitioning to a new therapist can come with its own challenges. Something unique about my approach to therapy is utilizing my lived experience, when appropriate, to assist clients in navigating their own life challenges.
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Anxiety feels like your mind is always one step ahead: worrying, overthinking, replaying, or predicting what could go wrong next. It shows up as racing thoughts, tension in your chest, trouble sleeping, or the constant feeling that you “should be doing more.”
Therapy for anxiety helps you slow down those racing thoughts, untangle the “what ifs,” and learn how to feel more grounded and in control. Through evidence-based approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), you’ll build tools to quiet the noise, manage stress, and respond to anxiety in healthier, more compassionate ways. Whether it’s
social anxiety,
panic attacks,
phobias,
perfectionism, or
general overwhelm,
Therapy gives you the space to understand what’s happening beneath the surface and start feeling like yourself again.
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Living with chronic pain or illness is an invisible battle. You might look “fine” on the outside while feeling completely drained, frustrated, or misunderstood on the inside. The constant exhaustion, flare-ups, medical appointments, and uncertainty wear down even the strongest person… physically, emotionally, and mentally. Over time, it starts to affect your mood, relationships, and sense of identity.
Therapy for chronic pain and illness focuses on helping you navigate the emotional side of what your body is going through. It’s not about pretending the pain isn’t real; it’s about learning how to cope with it in a way that gives you back a sense of control and hope. Together, we’ll explore how pain affects your thoughts, stress levels, and daily life, and develop strategies to help you manage it with more ease and self-compassion.
We’ll also look at the toll chronic illness can take on your relationships and self-worth. It’s common to feel guilt, anger, or grief for the life you had before, and therapy offers space to process those feelings without judgment.
You deserve care that acknowledges both your physical and emotional experience. Therapy will help you find balance, reclaim your energy where you can, and reconnect with meaning and joy… even on the harder days. You are more than your diagnosis, and your story doesn’t end with pain.
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Your identity deserves to be met with understanding, not judgment. LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy is a safe, supportive space to explore who you are, what you’ve experienced, and what you want for your future without fear of being misunderstood or having to explain or defend yourself.
Whether you’re exploring your gender identity, sexuality, coming out, navigating relationships, or processing experiences of rejection or discrimination, therapy can help you find clarity, confidence, and healing. For many LGBTQIA+ individuals, the world doesn’t always feel safe or validating, and that can lead to stress, anxiety, depression, or a deep sense of isolation. Here, you don’t have to hide parts of yourself to feel accepted.
Together, we’ll explore what authenticity means for you. We’ll unpack the impact of past experiences, build tools for self-care and boundary setting, and strengthen your connection to your values and community. Therapy becomes a place to process both the pain and the pride; the challenges of living in a world that isn’t always affirming, and the joy of fully embracing who you are.
You deserve a therapist who sees and celebrates you exactly as you are. LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy isn’t about “fixing”, it’s about healing, empowerment, and living more freely as your authentic self, surrounded by understanding and care.
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Being in a relationship with a narcissistic person, whether romantic, friendship, or even at work, leaves you feeling confused, anxious, and drained. You may have questioned your own reality (“I feel crazy”), found yourself walking on eggshells (“I have to keep them happy”), or started to lose confidence in who you are (“I am not really that good”).
Narcissistic abuse often happens slowly and subtly through manipulation, gaslighting, control, and emotional withdrawal… leaving deep wounds that aren’t always visible to others.
If you’ve experienced this kind of relationship, you may still be second-guessing yourself, wondering if it was really “that bad,” or struggling to trust your own judgment again. If you’re still in it, you might feel torn; unsure how to leave or continue navigating the relationship, or how to set boundaries without more conflict. These reactions are completely normal; narcissistic abuse is designed to make you doubt yourself.
Therapy offers a safe space to unpack what happened, and to rebuild the parts of you that were silenced, minimized, or made to feel “too much.” Together, we’ll work on identifying patterns of manipulation, understanding trauma responses like fawning or self-blame, and learning to set and hold boundaries with confidence.
Healing from narcissistic abuse means reclaiming your voice and sense of self. You are not broken or “too sensitive”; you’ve been through something that deeply impacted your sense of safety and trust. With the right support, you can heal, rebuild your confidence, and move forward feeling grounded, empowered, and free.
Survivors of narcissistic abuse have the options of individual therapy or group therapy with Jay.
If you are a professional seeking consultation, visit Jay’s consult page.
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Living with ADHD or being neurodivergent can feel like your brain is running on a different wavelength, and the world isn’t always built for it. You might struggle with focus, time management, impulsivity, or emotional overwhelm. Maybe you’ve been called “lazy,” “scattered,” or “too much,” when in reality, your mind just works differently. Therapy provides space to understand and embrace that difference… not fight it.
ADHD brings unique strengths: creativity, intuition, energy, and big-picture thinking. But it can also feel frustrating when organization, motivation, or self-esteem take a hit. Together, we’ll work on understanding how your brain operates, finding systems that actually work for you, and learning ways to manage burnout, shame, or feeling like you’re constantly “behind.”
Neurodiversity goes beyond ADHD, it includes Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), auditory processing differences, learning disabilities, and more. You might be newly diagnosed, self-identifying, or still figuring it out. No matter where you are in that process, therapy is a space where you don’t have to mask or overexplain. We focus on understanding your needs, honoring your pace, and building a life that aligns with how your brain truly works.
Being neurodivergent isn’t about being “broken”; it’s about learning to thrive in a world that often misunderstands you. Together, we’ll focus on self-acceptance, practical tools, and confidence, so you can show up as your full, authentic self without apology.
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Trauma changes how you see yourself, others, and the world. It’s not just about what happened… it’s about how your body and mind had to adapt to survive. You might find yourself feeling on edge, hyper-aware of your surroundings, emotionally numb, or disconnected from yourself and others. Flashbacks, nightmares, or sudden waves of anxiety can appear without warning, leaving you feeling unsafe even in calm moments.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) often develops after a single event such as an accident, assault, or loss; this can be experienced directly or even witnessed.
Complex PTSD (CPTSD), on the other hand, can come from long-term or repeated trauma, like ongoing abuse, neglect, or growing up in an environment where safety and stability were never guaranteed. CPTSD can bring deep feelings of shame, mistrust, and difficulty maintaining relationships or feeling truly at peace.
Therapy offers a safe, steady space to process your story at your own pace, without judgment or pressure to “move on.” Together, we’ll work toward helping you reconnect with your sense of safety, identify and manage triggers, and understand how your trauma responses have been trying to protect you.
Healing from trauma isn’t about erasing the past; it’s about reclaiming your power in the present. With support and compassion, you can begin to feel more grounded, connected, and in control of your life again. You are not defined by what happened to you, you are defined by your strength to heal from it.
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The way we connect with others, and ourselves, often traces back to our earliest relationships. If you’ve ever wondered why you crave closeness but fear rejection, avoid conflict but long for understanding, or feel anxious when people pull away, attachment-based therapy can help you make sense of it all.
Attachment-Based Therapy explores how early experiences with caregivers shaped your patterns of connection, trust, and self-worth. These early bonds influence how you navigate relationships today; whether that’s with a partner, friends, family, or even colleagues. You might notice patterns like people-pleasing, fear of abandonment, emotional distance, or difficulty setting boundaries. These aren’t flaws; they’re learned ways of coping that once helped you feel safe.
In therapy, we’ll work together to understand where these patterns come from and how they show up in your current life. Through a safe and consistent relationship, you’ll have the opportunity to experience connection in a new way; one that builds trust, security, and self-compassion.
As you begin to recognize your attachment patterns, you’ll learn to respond to others (and yourself) with more awareness and confidence. Healing attachment wounds isn’t about blaming your past; it’s about understanding it so you can create healthier, more secure relationships in the present.
Attachment-Based Therapy helps you rebuild the foundation of trust, in others, and most importantly, in yourself.
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, helps you understand how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are all connected (it is hard to untangle when you are in the thick of it) and how small shifts in one area lead to big changes in the others. If you’ve ever caught yourself spiraling with “what ifs,”feeling stuck in negative thinking, or reacting in ways you don’t fully understand, CBT offers a structured way to break that cycle.
In therapy, we’ll look at the patterns that keep you feeling anxious, unmotivated, or weighed down, and learn practical ways to change them. You’ll build skills to challenge unhelpful thoughts, calm your body’s stress response, and take small, consistent actions that start to lift your mood, a process known as behavioral activation. This might look like reconnecting with activities you’ve stopped enjoying, rebuilding your routines, or adding simple habits that bring a sense of purpose and movement back into your life.
CBT is an evidence-based approach proven to help with anxiety, chronic pain, depression, and stress, giving you tools you can use long after therapy ends. It’s not about thinking “happy thoughts,” but about seeing things more clearly and responding to life in ways that align with what actually matters to you.
CBT is also great for building or breaking habits; helping you shift from feeling stuck or reactive to feeling grounded, intentional, and capable of real change.
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Life can feel like a rollercoaster sometimes; emotions hit hard, relationships feel complicated, and you may find yourself reacting in ways you regret or don’t fully understand. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, is a skills-based approach that helps you find balance between accepting yourself as you are and making the changes you want to see. DBT is about giving you the tools to put into action in your life now.
DBT focuses on four main areas: mindfulness (staying present), emotion regulation (managing intense feelings), distress tolerance (handling tough situations without falling apart), and interpersonal effectiveness (building and maintaining healthy relationships). These skills aren’t just “therapy talk”; they’re practical tools you can use every day to respond more calmly and intentionally when life gets overwhelming.
If you struggle with anxiety, mood swings, impulsivity, feeling “too much,” or even just in general, DBT will help you better understand your emotions instead of fighting them. It teaches you how to pause, reflect, and respond instead of react; turning moments of chaos into opportunities for control and clarity.
In therapy, you’ll learn and practice these skills in ways that fit your real life, not just theory. Over time, you’ll start to notice more balance, more peace, and more confidence in how you handle both yourself and your relationships.
DBT helps you feel more centered and in control, allowing you to navigate life’s ups and downs with compassion, resilience, and a stronger sense of self.
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We all have different parts that make up ourselves: the confident one, the self-critic, the people-pleaser, the protector, and the part that just wants to rest. Sometimes, those parts feel like they’re in conflict, pulling you in different directions. Internal Family Systems (IFS)-informed therapy helps you get to know those inner parts with compassion instead of judgment.
Rather than focusing on what’s “wrong,” this approach helps you understand why different parts of you show up the way they do. Maybe one part tries to keep you busy to avoid painful memories, while another part feels deep sadness underneath it all. In therapy, we slow down and listen to these parts, allowing space for healing and self-understanding to unfold naturally.
IFS-informed therapy isn’t about strict techniques or labels; it’s about building awareness and kindness toward yourself. You’ll learn to notice when you’re feeling pulled between emotions or stuck in cycles of self-criticism, and begin responding with curiosity instead of shame.
By understanding your inner system, you can start to feel more balanced and whole. The goal isn’t to silence or “fix” your parts, but to help them work together, so you can feel more centered, calm, and aligned with your true self.
When all parts of you feel seen and heard, healing becomes more about integration than perfection, and you can finally feel at peace within yourself.
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We all have stories we tell ourselves; about who we are, what we’ve been through, and what we’re capable of. Sometimes, those stories are shaped by pain, trauma, or messages we’ve absorbed from others, and they start to feel like our entire identity. Narrative Therapy helps you step back, look at those stories from a new angle, and recognize that you are the author, not just a character trapped in the plot. I know, easier said than done… but that is why I am here to help!
In our work together, we’ll explore how your experiences have influenced the way you see yourself and the world around you. Maybe you’ve carried beliefs like “I’m not good enough,” “I always mess things up,” or “I have to keep it together.” Through gentle reflection and conversation, therapy helps you separate yourself from those limiting stories so you can begin to rewrite them in a way that feels more empowering and true to who you are today.
Narrative Therapy doesn’t erase your past; it gives it context and meaning. It helps you honor where you’ve been while also making space for growth, healing, and possibility. Whether you’re navigating anxiety, trauma, relationship challenges, or self-esteem struggles, this approach helps you see that your story isn’t over, and you have the power to shape what comes next.
Together, we’ll uncover your voice, your values, and your strengths, and help you write a story that reflects the life you want to live.
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At our core, we’re wired for connection, but relationships can also be some of the hardest parts of life. Whether it’s with a partner, family member, friend, or even a coworker, our patterns in relationships often reveal the deeper ways we’ve learned to protect ourselves and seek closeness. Relational therapy focuses on understanding those patterns and how they shape the way you show up with others and within yourself.
In relational therapy, the therapeutic relationship itself becomes a safe space to explore how you connect, communicate, and cope. You might notice themes like difficulty trusting, feeling unseen, needing to keep the peace, or fearing rejection. Together, we’ll unpack where those experiences come from and how they play out in your current relationships… without judgment or blame.
This approach helps you build awareness, self-compassion, and healthier boundaries. As you practice new ways of relating inside the therapy space, those changes naturally extend into your daily life, leading to more authentic, balanced, and secure connections.
Relational therapy isn’t just about fixing relationships; it’s about healing the parts of you that have been shaped by relationships. Over time, you’ll begin to feel more grounded, understood, and able to connect with others from a place of trust instead of fear.
Healthy relationships, including the one you build with yourself, can become your greatest source of growth and healing.
Learn more about Jay’s practice in therapy below:
Schedule Your Therapy Intro Meeting with Jay Today
Mental Health Services by Jay
Individual therapy (available in DE, MD, NC, PA)
Queer couples therapy
More About Jay
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loving, honest, silly
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I became a therapist when I was at a crossroads in my own personal healing and in nursing school. While I was in nursing school, I lost one of my best friends to suicide and the following year on her birthday, I dropped out of nursing school and began working inpatient psychiatric as a tech and knew that this was my calling. I have always wanted to help others, it has just taken a lot of different shapes over the years.
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We will laugh, we will cry, we will heal! I take what applies from multiple modalities because I don't think there's a "one size fits all" modality. I tend to pull from IFS/inner child work, CBT, DBT, and narrative modalities. I will never claim to be an expert in ANY of these specific modalities, however, I am currently working toward getting my NATC (Certified Narcissistic Abuse Trained clinician) so that I can continue my work helping survivors.
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I meet clients where they are at -- if we are feeling silly, we are feeling silly! If you need me to be reactive, you got it! If you need less reaction, that's also okay! I like to ask permission before being reactive with my clients and how they need me to support them with (x y or z) issue that they bring to me that session. I hold people accountable while giving them grace and compassion. I simply hold the space with no expectations, just love and compassion. Let me know how you need your therapist to show up for you :)
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Trying to do the Macarena to as many songs as possible (Paramore's iconic album After Laughter...you'll thank me later)
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** vulnerable moment **
I think it is crucial that my clients know that I, too, am in therapy. It is important that I continue to work on myself and skills not just as a clinician, but as a human being too. I can talk the talk, but I have to walk the walk as well! I also want any prospective clients to know that they will know they are cared for deeply.
Education & Training
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M.A., Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Arcadia University
B.S., Psychology, Pennsylvania State University
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Jay creates a space where authenticity is celebrated and healing can take root. As a therapist, advocate, and community leader, they bring both heart and expertise to their work with clients; especially those navigating identity, trauma, and self-acceptance.
Jay’s clinical experience spans several levels of care, from inpatient settings to private practice, giving them a deep understanding of what it means to meet people at different points in their healing journey. They’ve supported teens and adults through anxiety, depression, narcissistic abuse, identity exploration, trauma, and life transitions, with a special focus on the LGBTQIA+ community. Their approach draws from trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) (and more above) and a culturally responsive lens, ensuring therapy feels safe, inclusive, and empowering for every person they work with.
Beyond the therapy room, Jay is a passionate advocate for mental health and queer visibility. As the co-founder and president of True Colors Collective, (initially Quakertown LGBT Pride and the first in the town) creating space for connection, education, and belonging where it hadn’t existed before. Their dedication to community work mirrors how they show up as a therapist: grounded, compassionate, and deeply committed to helping others find strength in their story.
What makes Jay exceptional isn’t just their knowledge or experience; it’s the way they make people feel genuinely understood. They meet clients with warmth and realness, helping them move toward self-acceptance, confidence, and peace.
At Better Minds, Jay offers individual, couples, and group therapy with an affirming focus on identity, trauma recovery, and emotional well-being. Their goal is to help each person feel safe enough to be their authentic selves and supported enough to grow.
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Jay is a Licensed Professional Counselor. They are able to provide therapy services in:
Delaware - LPCMH | PC-0011745
Maryland - LCPC | LC15382
Pennsylvania - LPC | PC016440
North Carolina coming end of 2025
Additional Credentials:
Narcissistic Abuse Treatment Clinician - NATC | 714014
As Featured In
2024
2025
